“I mistake! The boy need not be imprisoned! And I will consult with my fellow councillors about the rebellion.” Talon bowed to Waffa. “We will…” The words issued reluctantly from his lips. “The Pact will begin negotiations with the traitors. And in return…” A flash of the old Talon reappeared.

“In return?” The words came out with a puff of frost.

Talon’s face sagged beneath the paint. “In return…” He drew breath, reached deep into his stubbornness. “In return, you must promise not to use your powers against us.”

“Cloud goes back to the Wayfarer.”

“He cannot! Your uncle sailed with the Yanlin fleet the day we took this boy into custody.”

So that was why Lake had sailed: fear of further arrests! Storm rubbed her nose. It was surprisingly chilly. She sighed aloud, and this time no frost etched the air from her breath. “Then he stays here, with me.”

“Here? In my home?” Talon gazed at Cloud, bruised and barefoot, his coarse sailor’s tunic and trousers dirty and torn, and his eyes grew wide with dismay.

“Where else?” asked Storm. “And give him the best guest room in the house!”

23

“This is almost worth getting beat up for!” Cloud was stretched out on a bed even bigger and softer than Storm’s. “Hey! Stop that!” He waved a vague hand in the direction of Scoundrel, who was perched on one of the bedposts, tossing peanut hulls at him. “Remind me why you have a cling-monkey?”

“He’s not mine. Just visiting.” Storm was leaning against the wall, watching Cloud while pretending not to, just in case he was more hurt than he let on. “Did you know the fleet had sailed?”

“No. But I’m not surprised.”

“They didn’t even try to rescue you.”

“Really?” He laughed and sat up, wincing. “Fight the Pact for me? I don’t think so. Come on, Lake could have lost his entire fleet if the Pact decided to play rough. You reckon that Pact boss-man is telling the truth when he says he’s ready to negotiate with the rebels?”

“I think so. He’s scared of losing everything. And of me, I guess.” She thought about this. I don’t like being scary, she told her mind-voice. After a while, she noticed the silence and looked up from her thoughts to see Cloud staring at her, his eyes uncertain.

“That was a pretty amazing trick you did back there. You should have seen yourself…” His voice trailed off. “Or maybe not.”

Her smile was bitter; Cloud was scared of her too. “Still want to be an Air-witch?”